Peter Leko wins Dortmund 2008
Leko takes third title
Peter Leko (pictured) comfortably drew his last round game with Arkadij Naiditsch to take his third Dortmund title to add to his wins in 1999 and 2002. Despite Naiditsch playing the Marshall Gambit, early exchanges meant it never looked like being anything other than a draw, which duly arrived on move 31.
There were, however, two decisive games on the final day, and the first occurred in the clash of the pre-tournament favourites Kramnik and Ivanchuk. Ivanchuk held a slight edge throughout the game and kept up the pressure until Kramnik finally cracked with 48. Nf8?? losing on the spot.
Kramnik therefore finishes a hugely disappointing 7th out of 8, with only Loek Van Wely below him in the final standings. Poor Loek lost again today, this time against Mamedyarov and will no doubt want to forget this tournament as soon as possible.
Congratulations to Peter Leko - he was undefeated and beat Gustafsson and Ivanchuk to take the title!
The results in the final round:
| Leko, Peter | - Naiditsch, Arkadij | ½-½ | 31 | C89 | Ruy Lopez Marshall |
| Ivanchuk, Vassily | - Kramnik, Vladimir | 1-0 | 49 | C42 | Petroff's Defence |
| Nepomniachtchi, Ian | - Gustafsson, Jan | ½-½ | 22 | C77 | Ruy Lopez Anderssen |
| Van Wely, Loek | - Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar | 0-1 | 39 | D38 | QGD Ragozin |
The final standings:
| 1 | Leko, Peter | HUN | 2741 | * | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 4½ |
| 2 | Ivanchuk, Vassily | UKR | 2740 | 0 | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 4 |
| 3 | Nepomniachtchi, Ian | RUS | 2634 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 4 |
| 4 | Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar | AZE | 2752 | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 4 |
| 5 | Gustafsson, Jan | GER | 2603 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | 1 | ½ | 1 | 4 |
| 6 | Naiditsch, Arkadij | GER | 2624 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | * | 1 | 1 | 3½ |
| 7 | Kramnik, Vladimir | RUS | 2788 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | * | 1 | 3 |
| 8 | Van Wely, Loek | NED | 2677 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | * | 1 |
